


Simplicity

by StarryNox



Series: Chrobin Week 2015 [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-06 01:42:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5398106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarryNox/pseuds/StarryNox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He longed for the simplicity that had come along with being on the road, when no one (save Frederick) called him by titles and he wasn’t forced to sit at a desk for most of his days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Simplicity

They had been back in Ylisstol for only two months, and while Chrom thoroughly enjoyed the peace he and the other Shepherds had worked so hard to bring about, there was a part of him that longed for the battlefield.

Well, that wasn’t quite accurate. He longed for the simplicity that had come along with being on the road, when no one (save Frederick) called him by titles and he wasn’t forced to sit at a desk for most of his days. He wasn’t made for the indoors—though he imagined it would get better with time—and he certainly wasn’t made for court politics.

But most of all…he missed the easy camaraderie he’d shared with so many others while on the road. Even Robin, while still his closest confidant and best friend, had distanced herself in the name of propriety, explaining that it didn’t look good for an unmarried king to spend so much time with an equally unmarried woman’s chambers. And so, their late night talks (which had been so often interspersed with physical affection) had come to an end, as had the easy (and oftentimes silly) conversations that used to flow between them once their work was done for the night. He missed her—the other Shepherds, too, but her most of all. Her near-constant presence at his side as his chief advisor only intensified his longing for silly grins and playful banter, and yet…

His jaw clenched as he paused out of view from several of the courtiers that so regularly graced his halls. The whispers about Robin were always the same—how she wasn’t qualified (how could she be, if her origins were unknown) for the position she held, how she must’ve won their king’s favor through salacious means. He knew that Robin had heard the whispers from the way her shoulders tensed whenever she traveled the castle’s corridors and the politely distant and professional tone she took with him whenever they were in public. 

He strode forward, eyes trained on the signature cloak she wore despite its Grimleal colors. He’d been looking for her, anyway, and he knew trying to ask her for some time alone after dinner had been served was a lost cause. 

“Robin!” Her footsteps stilled, and she turned to him, bowing slightly.

“What can I do for you, milord?” she asked. Gods, how he missed the warmth in her voice! Unbidden, a frown pulled at his mouth. 

“Don’t call me that,” he said with a sigh, almost running a hand through his hair out of habit and only stopping as he remembered his head now held a crown. “Not when we aren’t in the Council.” He caught up to her, barely pausing as he requested, “Walk with me.”

“There are those who would prefer I not speak to the king so casually,” Robin said simply as she matched her pace to his, tucking a book under her arm. Though her gaze never left him, he could tell just who she was referring to—the council members, the other lords and ladies…just about anyone with a bit of political power, really. 

“We’re friends, are we not?” Chrom questioned instead. “More importantly, we’re two halves of a greater whole. Surely no one could protest that.” Her lips twitched upwards at his words, but she shook her head. Damn. He thought he could’ve gotten her with that. And then an idea struck.

“Come now, Robin. You wouldn’t deny your king, would you?” A mischievous grin pulled at his lips as she froze, whirling to face him with a disbelieving—and wholly irritated—expression.

“You…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “Fine, but only because you felt so desperate that you felt the need to pull rank, _Chrom_.” She poked his chest, and her half-hearted scowl forced Chrom to stifle the laughter that he was so tempted to release. She huffed, before shaking her head. “I’m sorry. Really, I am.” The reason for her distance was left unsaid.

“How long has it been happening?” he asked, glancing back behind them to see the ladies he’d passed by huddled together.

“Since we arrived—or didn’t you notice?” Her tone was light, but he could still see the tenseness in her posture. Not caring who might see, he rested his hand on the small of her back, causing her to shoot him a questioning look.

“I’ll make sure it ends,” he promised, eyes locking with hers. She glanced away.

“You shouldn’t have to deal with it,” she protested.

“Neither should you.” He let out a sigh. “I’m sorry—I’d hoped that ending the war would allow you to make pleasant memories. Ones that don’t involve navigating all those rumors.” 

“I chose to fight,” she reminded him, bumping his shoulder lightly. They were the same words that she’d said when he apologized for bringing her into a war she shouldn’t have had to fight. “And I’m choosing to fight now, too.” She paused. “I’m not unhappy, if that’s what you’re afraid of.” 

“You could be happier,” he protested. She cocked her head to the side, eyeing him with an expression that had his thoughts straying—briefly—to less than gentlemanly territory. 

“Maybe,” she conceded, and part of him dreaded what comment she was preparing under that sly grin. “I suppose I wouldn’t mind if you made an honest woman out of me.” 

Chrom spluttered, losing all pretense of composure as Robin broke out into peals of laughter. How he’d missed the sound…even if it was at his expense. A smile of his own tugged at his lips, and he pulled her close, not caring who might see. 

“That can be arranged,” he jested, leaning his forehead against hers and enjoying the way her breath hitched in response. “I _did_ promise to build a peaceful world with you, didn’t I? And I think Ylisse is in good enough shape that I can make you my first priority for a while.” 

“What an honor,” she replied dryly, but he could hear the affection in her voice. 

“The honor is mine…after all, I’m a very lucky man to have you.” He leaned in to close the gap between them, but a hand on his chest caused him to pause. 

“As much as I appreciate the affection,” Robin interrupted, cheeks flushed. “I’m sure you needed me for something _aside_ from a demand to call you by name and a proposal, didn’t you?” Chrom blinked—in all honesty, he’d forgotten his original purpose for grabbing her attention. 

“Er…right—it was…” He winced slightly. “The Pegasus Knights. We were thinking of rebuilding them—I wanted to discuss that with you.” Robin nodded, and he could practically see the gears turning in her head. He interlaced his fingers with hers, pulling her gently in the direction of his study.

He had a ring to give her, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally, I was planning to write little fics for the each day of the week, but schoolwork intervened. But! I did have a bit of time today, so I wrote this up.
> 
> The premise is this--Chrom and Robin confessed to each other at the end of the war against Plegia, and therefore spent some of their time on the road home being a little couple-y. Once they'd made it back to the capitol, however, Chrom had to fill the gap left by his older sister and bring Ylisse back to prosperity, so he appointed Robin as his chief advisor in the meanwhile (in part to grant her access to council meetings, but in part because there's no one he trusts more). 
> 
> Of course, this doesn't exactly sit well with his court, who aren't exactly pleased that some woman with no past very clearly has the king's ear, and when combined with the quite casual (and, yes, sometimes affectionate) way they treated each other led to a rather active rumor mill...
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> \- Nox


End file.
